Animagus

Sirius Black/"Padfoot"
28mm scale

In the form of a huge black dog, Sirius Black follows his godson Harry to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, hoping to keep him safe from the most terrible dangers in the wizarding world...

I painted this figure at the request of my daughter, who is currently reading through the HP series at a shocking rate, totally immersed in the world of magic.  The figure is a pre-slotta Citadel wolf dating from the late 1980's.

Massacring Mendicant

Groo the Wanderer
25mm

I loved Groo comics when I was a kid.  I didn't own many but the public library, always mindful of of literary demand, stocked a decent supply. The combination of Sergio Aragonés' distinctive art, murderous slapstick, and ridiculous storylines about the adventures of a total idiot really hit the spot for adolescent me.

I have no idea where I got this figure.  It was presumably either a trade, or I found it in the miscellaneous figures box at my local FLGS (or as they tended then, "smelly nerd cave").  I don't remember ever seeing any of the other Dark Horse Miniatures figures in person... They're all worth a lot of money now, so I'm unlikely to try and expand my collection.

Rufferto, Groo, Chakaal, Sage, Minstrel.  This set would probably
cost a couple of hundred dollars... if anyone would sell it.

"Did you just call Groo a... MENDICANT?!"

Inspector Deck

Cyberspace Operator
15 mm

I move through the third world
my third eye's the guiding light
Invite the fight, we all die tonight

Whether they're carrying out a mission on the mean streets or moving through the world of the 'Net, an operator has to be a lightning-fast expert at fighting and hacking.  Their skills with a cyberspace deck and advanced weaponry are the difference between executing reconnaissance, theft, or delivery without a trace... and being just another dead console cowboy.

The Operator is a minor conversion of Duxis Drone Pilot from The Ion Age.

"Streets are like a jungle, can't let my cypher crumble..."

Barbarian Guardian of Eternia

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
28 mm

I'm the master of the world I have no fear of man or beast
Born inside the soul of the world
Riding hard breaking bone with steel and stone
Eternal might I was born to wield.

He-Man! Eternia's greatest hero! Is he a wandering tribesman who was imbued with the power of Castle Greyskull, or is he a noble prince who assumes a secret identity to defend his kingdom?  Only his most trusted companions know for sure...

"Go Herc! Go Herc!"
"Wrong cartoon, buddy, but I appreciate the vote of confidence!"

He-Man is a Quest Miniatures figure.  His base is a custom addition I made, inspired by collectible statuettes like this. I felt that, like Skeletor, his hunched pose needed a height boost so he wasn't crouching below the other characters. I think the result is suitably heroic!

I think this is easily the most ambitious 28mm painting project I've ever undertaken: a group of figures all painted to the highest standard I could manage.  It's been a real challenge, and a satisfying one to finally complete. And definitely a nostalgia trip...

Scruffy sleuth

Harry Salami, PI
15 mm

End of the Road
A Harry Salami Mystery
By Burt Hardcastle
Harry Salami's back, in a gripping new mystery from the author of  the bestselling "Cat's Game".  A millionaire land tycoon's wife has gone missing, and though the police have dropped the case, her sister believes she's no runaway bride.  It's up to Harry to find the truth, in a town where truth is scarcer than a stiff drink. Can he survive a web of intrigue that leads... all the way to the top?

"Harry Salami" is a name my kids came up with once, which I spun into a rambling mystery tale told on a dull car trip. Naturally I made him a noir detective, complete with jaded monologue and dubious business practices.  They still don't know why the name is so funny... :)

Harry is a lightly-converted Khurasan figure.

At an old factory outside of town, Harry hears a faint voice: "Is.. someone there? Help!"

Murphy's Law

RoboCop
15 mm

"My program will not allow me to act against an officer of this company".

Another Khurasan figure painted as a favour.  I tried for a subtle purple ambient light effect as requested, but it's hard to see.  Maybe the reflection of red/blue police lights?

"No sense of humour, huh Pinocchio?"

Big City Clown

The Joker
15mm

"It's not about the money... it's about sending a message."

I painted the "clown prince of crime" in Gotham city for an online friend... The figure is a Khurasan gangster.

"This town needs an enema!"